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Saturday, December 14, 2013

How to Use Up Old Makeup: Multiple Uses

If you are like me and have accumulated lots of makeup, you will inevitably develop favorites or "holy grails". That means, then, that you will have less-than-loved products laying around. And if you're like me--that's just not acceptable! They have to be used up or tossed- and I opt for used up if they are still good :). It just makes me feel like everything is right in the world when I do.

So here's how I do it...

Find multiple uses for the product!

Lipstick-Use that old lipstick as a cream blush! It can also be used as a base for your powder blush by first applying and blending a tinge of lipstick with a clean finger in circular motions up the cheekbone. Then lay a light layer of powder blush atop that. Not only will your blush last all day, you will be using up an unwanted makeup product!

Lipliner-Lipliners can be great bases for lipsticks, making your lip color last all day! But they can also alter a lipstick color. For example, let's say you have a lipliner color you are no longer exactly in love with--place it all over your lips and top it with a nude lipstick or lipgloss color and you may find that you have found a new use for an old lipliner that needs to go. Try this same trick to make unflattering lipstick shades take on a whole new look. (Think "too-nude-for-your-skin-color" nude lipsticks, or "too-dark-and-vampy" ones, or even lipstick colors whose trendiness have since passed!) The possibilities are endless!

Blush- Blush can be used in place of eyeshadow. It can actually serve as a beautiful transition color between your lid and highlight colors. Have a "too dark for you blush"? Use it as a lid color on your eyes! You may find you love the color after all. The same is true for "too light for you" colors, too!

Mascara- Mascara can be used to set your eyebrows. Now, this is really only true of brown and clear mascara, but a useful trick nonetheless!

Foundation/Concealer- Foundation can actually be a great primer for your eyeshadows! When applying foundation, just be sure to run it over your lids as well. Another trick I use when trying to use up foundations that are either too dark or too light for my skin color (this generally happens when I get samples from Sephora), is to use them strategically on my face. For instance, I can use that dark foundation where I would normally contour my cheeks and forehead, and I can use that light foundation where I would normally highlight my face. The same is true of concealer! Concealer can also act as a great primer for eyelids and lips, making both eyeshadow and lipstick last longer.

Eyeliners- Eyeliners are not only great for giving definition to your eyes, but they can serve as eyeshadow bases as well. This is especially true of gel liners which brings me to my next point...Gel liners can be used in place of mascara. Don't believe me? Just search YouTube and you will find what I am talking about.

Eyeshadow- There are all sorts of uses for this one! So here is what I find to be so true of my own makeup stash- I have a kajillion cream colored, pearly white, brown, and black eyeshadows. No joke...a kajillion. How in the world could I use all of them up?! Glad you asked, because I was going to tell you anyway.

First off, use those browns and blacks as eyeliner by running the color along the rims of your eyes where you would normally apply eyeliners. This gives such a beautiful smokey effect anyway. It can also be placed over a pencil or gel eyeliner to help lock it into place.)

That brown eyeshadow can be used to define your eyebrows or even as a bronzer/contour on your face.

Now, as far as those light shades go, not only are they staples for natural looking eye makeup, but they can be used to highlight other areas of your face as well. Have a thin pout? Add a bit of a light shimmery pink right in the center of your pout after you apply lipstick and your lips will appear fuller.

Don't like a shade on your eyes? Maybe it could work on your nails! Crumble up some old eyeshadow that is either a color you hate or a terrible finish (like chalky eyeshadows), take some inexpensive clear polish, mix and wham- a new nail color!

Body Lotion- Though not really considered makeup, there are multiple uses for this product as well. After applying it to your body, trying running it through your hair to tackle those annoying flyaways!

After reading this, I hope it inspires you to be creative with your unwanted products! Or if not, that it gets you thinking about whether you really need a new brown shadow, highlighter, or primer..etc. You get the drift.

Now what about you? How many ways can you think of to use your products?

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About Me

Hi Everyone,
so you want to know a little about me? I am 31 years old, a wife and mother of two. Currently, I work as a a fourth grade teacher but have a million other interests/hobbies for which I am dedicating this blog! I hope you enjoy reading along as much as I enjoy sharing!
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Julie